Two plead guilty to trespassing after police chase, fall from UMF roof

FARMINGTON, Maine — Two men pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges related to being on the roof of the Emery Community Arts Center at UMF in September. One of them was seriously injured when he lost his grip trying to climb off the building to escape police and fell 40 feet to the pavement.

Devon Pease, 21, of Farmington and Joshua Farthing, 25, of Panama City, Fla., each pleaded guilty to one count each of misdemeanor criminal mischief and criminal trespass.

Pease appeared in the Franklin County Unified Court in Farmington on crutches with apparent injuries to both legs.

Franklin County Deputy Colt Sleaster spotted the two men on the roof of Dearborn Gymnasium at about 2 a.m. on Sept. 3. When he ordered the men to come down, they ignored the order and ran onto the roof of the Emery Community Arts Center, which is attached to Dearborn Gym, Sgt. Brock Caton, interim chief of the University of Maine at Farmington Department of Public Safety, previously said.

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Campus police officer Levi Gould got on the roof to find the men. Pease tried to evade police by climbing down the north side of the building.

Farthing waited on the roof for Farmington Fire-Rescue Department to put up its ladder on its Tower 3 truck.

Sentencing was deferred for 12 months for both men. They are required to follow the conditions of an agreement, which includes undergoing a substance abuse evaluation and complete counseling, if required.

The two men were also banned from going on any of the university’s property.

They are also required to pay a total of $919 in restitution. Each is responsible to pay half the amount — but if one doesn’t pay, the other must pay it all. The agreement also has conditions of no use or possession of alcohol or illegal drugs. They are also subject to random testing for those substances.

Of the restitution amount, $429 will go to UMF and $490 to the Farmington Fire-Rescue Department for use of the ladder truck.

If the two complete the agreement successfully, they will be allowed to withdraw their guilty pleas and the cases will be dismissed. If not, they will face an open sentencing for the charges. A conviction on the criminal mischief charge carries a sentence of up to 364 days in jail. A conviction on the criminal trespass charge carries a sentence of up to six months in jail.